The present invention relates to a timepiece having a thermoelectric generator unit containing electrothermic elements for generating electromotive force based on the Seebeck effect. Particularly, the invention relates to a timepiece constituted to store electromotive force generated by a thermoelectric generator unit containing one or more of electrothermic elements, operate by the electromotive force and operate with a storage member as a power supply and including a flat thermal conductive body.
Further, the invention relates to a portable electronic device constituted to store electromotive force generated by a thermoelectric generator unit containing one or more of electrothermic elements in a storage member, operate by the electromotive force and operate with a storage member as a power supply and including a flat thermal conductive body.
A portable electronic device according to the invention incorporates an analog type electronic timepiece, a digital type electronic timepiece, an analog/digital composite type electronic timepiece, a timer device, an alarm device, an analog type electronic timepiece having a timer and/or an alarm, a digital type electronic timepiece having a timer and/or an alarm or an analog/digital composite type electronic timepiece having a timer and/or an alarm.
According to a conventional electrothermic wrist watch, as disclosed in, for example, JP-A-55-20483, a thermoelectric type generator comprising a number of individual element parts is arranged between a bottom portion of a casing made of metal and a support ring. According to the thermoelectric type generator (Peltier battery), a hot pole is placed opposedly to the bottom portion of the casing and a cold pole is placed opposed to a cover made of metal. Further, according to other structure, a thermoelectric type generator is held by an intermediary ring via a shock absorber.
According to other electronic timepiece, as disclosed in JP-A-8-43555, a 1st insulating member constitutes a heat absorbing side, a 2nd insulating member constitutes a heat radiating side, electromotive force is provided at an output end portion, the electromotive force is stored in a storage member and time display means is operated by the storage member.
Further, according to a timepiece having conventional power generating elements, as disclosed in JP-A-9-15353, four of electrothermic elements are arranged dividedly at other than a portion occupied by a movement in a space at inside of a wrist watch. According to the electrothermic element, p type, electrothermic members and n type electrothermic members are connected at end portions and form thermocouples. The electrothermic element is constituted by connecting in series all of the thermocouples.
Further, according to a conventional thermoelectric power generating wrist watch, as disclosed in JP-A-7-32590U, a thermoelectric power generating element is arranged between a case back and a module cover. The thermoelectric power generating element includes a number of thermocouples.
None of the conventional literatures discloses a timepiece having a thermoelectric generator unit containing one or more of electrothermic elements.
In an electrothermic element, a force resisting against external fore is weak. Particularly, in an electrothermic element, numbers of p type electrothermic members and n type electrothermic members each in a slender columnar shape are arranged and accordingly, when the p type electrothermic members and the n type electrothermic members are exerted with a force in a direction orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of these, there is a concern of destructing the electrothermic element. Further, also in the case in which the p type electrothermic members and the n type electrothermic members are exerted with a force along the longitudinal direction of these, when the force exceeds a constant magnitude, there is a concern of destructing the electrothermic element.
Conventionally, an electrothermic element is arranged directly in a space at inside of a wrist watch without mounting the electrothermic element as a thermoelectric generator unit and therefore, the strength of the electrothermic element cannot be increased. Further, when a plurality of the electrothermic elements are used, there is needed means for connecting the electrothermic elements.
Further, conventionally, a thermal conductive body provided for transferring heat from a thermoelectric generator unit is provided with a bent portion. Therefore, a transfer path of heat is prolonged and power generating efficiency of the thermoelectric generator unit may be deteriorated.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a timepiece having a thermoelectric generator unit and in which the power generating efficiency of the thermoelectric generator unit is improved by shortening the heat transferring path.
In order to resolve the above-described problem, a timepiece according to the invention is provided with a chargeable storage member constituting a power supply for operating the timepiece. A timepiece driving circuit for driving the timepiece is constituted to be able to operate by the storage member. Display members such as hands or the like display information in respect of time based on a signal in respect of a time output from the timepiece driving circuit.
The timepiece according to the invention is provided with an upper case body made of a thermally conductive material and a case back made of a thermally conductive material.
A thermoelectric generator unit contains one or more of electrothermic elements for generating electromotive force based on the Seebeck effect, includes a 1st thermally conductive plate constituting a heat absorbing plate and includes a 2nd thermally conductive plate constituting a heat radiating plate. A flat thermal conductive body is made of a thermally conductive material and is arranged to be brought into contact with the second thermally conductive plate. The upper case body is made of a thermally conductive material and is provided with a projected portion projected in a direction in which the case back is disposed. The projected portion is arranged to be capable of conducting heat to the thermal conductive body.
A power supply operation control circuit is installed to store the electromotive force generated by the thermoelectric generator unit in the storage member. A thermal conductive spacer is made of a thermally conductive material. The thermal conductive spacer is arranged to be brought into contact with the 1st thermally conductive plate of the thermoelectric generator unit and an inner side face of the case back. A heat insulating member having a heat insulating function is installed and by the heat insulating member, it is constituted that the case back and the upper case body are thermally insulated from each other.
Further, according to the invention, there is constituted a portable electronic device having a thermoelectric generator unit, the device comprising a thermoelectric generator unit including a 1st thermally conductive plate constituting a heat absorbing plate, electrothermic elements generating an electromotive force by the Seebeck effect and a 2nd thermally conductive plate constituting a heat radiating plate, a case back made of a thermally conductive material, a thermal conductive spacer made of a thermally conductive material and arranged to be capable of conducting heat between the thermal conductive spacer and the case back and the 1st thermally conductive plate, a flat thermal conductive body made of a thermally conductive material and arranged to be capable of conducting heat between the thermal conductive body and the 2nd thermally conductive plate, an upper case body made of a thermally conductive material and having a projected portion projected in a direction in which the case back is disposed and arranged to be capable of conducting heat between the projected portion and the thermal conductive body, a storage member constituting a power supply of the portable electronic device for storing an electromotive force generated by the thermoelectric generator unit, and a display member operated by the storage member or the electromotive force generated by the thermoelectric generator unit for displaying information related to time or a period of time.
Further, according to the invention, in a portable electronic device having a thermoelectric generator unit, the thermoelectric generator unit is constituted to include a 1st thermally conductive plate constituting a heat absorbing plate, electrothermic elements for generating electromotive force by the Seebeck effect and a 2nd thermally conductive plate constituting a heat radiating plate. The portable electronic device is installed with an exterior case for containing constituent parts of a device including the thermoelectric generator unit. The exterior case includes a heat absorbing member made of a thermally conductive material, for example, a case back and a heat radiating member made of a thermally conductive material, for example, an upper case body.
Further, the portable electronic device includes a flat thermal conductive body made of a thermally conductive material and arranged to be capable of conducting heat to the second thermally conductive plate. Further, a heat radiating member is provided with a projected portion projected in a direction in which the absorbing member is disposed and the projected portion is arranged to be capable of conducting heat to the thermal conductive body.
According to the portable electronic device, the thermal conductive spacer made of a thermally conductive and elastically deformable material, is arranged to be capable of conducting heat to the absorbing member and the 1st thermally conductive plate, and the 2nd thermally conductive plate is constituted to be capable of conducting heat to the radiating member.
Further, according to the portable electronic device, a thermal conductive spacer made of a thermally conductive and elastically deformable material, for example, silicone rubber sheet is arranged to be capable of conducting heat between the thermal conductive member and the heat absorbing member and the 1st thermally conductive plate. The thermal conductive spacer is a sheet-like part capable of firmly conducting heat from the heat absorbing member to the 1st thermally conductive plate by being compressed by the heat absorbing member and the 1st thermally conductive plate.
Further, according to the portable electronic device, the 2nd thermally conductive plate is constituted to be capable of conducting heat to the heat radiating member.
When such a portable electronic device is worn by the arm, heat of the arm is transferred to a heat absorbing member such as the case back. Heat transferred to the case back is transferred to the 1st thermally conductive plate of the thermoelectric generator unit via the thermal conductive spacer. By the heat, the electrothermic elements of the thermoelectric generator unit generate electromotive force by the Seebeck effect. Further, heat radiated from the 2nd thermally conductive plate of the thermoelectric generator unit is transferred to a projected portion of a heat radiating member via a thermal conductive body and is radiated to outside air by the radiating member.
By constituting the device in this way, there can be realized a portable electronic device such as timepiece having excellent power generating efficiency of the thermoelectric generator unit since a transfer path of heat is shortened.